PAT CAPUTO: The demise of the Detroit Red Wings has likely been greatly exaggerated

The build up to the National Hockey League's free agency signing period hit a loud crescendo on July 1 when it began.

So it should not be much of a surprise, in the aftermath of the Red Wings not signing either former Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter or New Jersey Devils forward Zach Parise, there has been a classic overreaction in a place known as "HockeyTown."

But in retrospect, it may turn out to be the best thing that could have happened to the Red Wings.

Sure, they need a replacement for defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, perhaps the greatest player to ever take his position. Suter was the best available option. But he is not Nicklas Lidstrom. He has never been a second-team NHL all-star nor a Norris Trophy finalist for best defenseman in the NHL. His plus-minus ratio is minus-4 in 39 career playoff games, and he was a minus player in last spring's playoffs, too.

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And the Red Wings offered $90 million for him? They are fortunate he turned them down, getting $98 million instead from the Minnesota Wild, who paid a similar amount for Parise.

Depending on which source you believe, Lidstrom ranks with Jaromir Jagr for having earned the most money in his NHL career -- approximately $100 million. Most of Lidstrom's career was played before the hard salary cap the NHL deploys was put in place. He played 20 years, never on a team that missed the playoffs -- and won four Stanley Cup championships. He was a first-team All Star 10 times. He won the Norris Trophy seven times.

Even last season, even in his 40s, Lidstrom was considerably better player than Suter until he took a shot off his ankle which greatly hindered his play.

Honestly, two Ryan Suter's don't equal one Nicklas Lidstrom.

Parise didn't lead the Devils to the Stanley Cup finals. He had eight goals, 15 points and was minus-eight in 24 playoff games -- hardly the stuff of Wayne Gretzky.

Here's a simple question: All things equal, including salary for the coming season, would you trade Pavel Datsyuk and Niklas Kronwall for Suter and Parise?

I wouldn't -- even before salary considerations. Datsyuk ($6.7 million) and Kronwall ($3.9 million) are making less combined for this season (a reported $10.6 million) than Parise and Suter are each ($12 million apiece). Parise and Suter are younger, but that won't be true deep in the future. Thirteen years? What a ridiculous length for their contracts.

The Red Wings moves this offseason have been underwhelming. In retrospect, the rash of injuries the Red Wings suffered after the trade deadline would have made it wise for general manager Ken Holland to add more depth at the trade deadline. His one move near the deadline, trading for defenseman Kyle Quincey, didn't pan out. Quincey did not play well for the Red Wings to close the regular season nor during the playoffs.

But it is too early to dismiss this offseason, and certainly Holland as a general manager. His track record is one of the best in professional sports.

And it's too early to dismiss the Red Wings as a hockey team. They still have as good a shot as any team in the Western Conference to reach the Stanley Cup finals this coming season.

Getting Suter and Parise wasn't going to make the organization. If anything, landing just one of the two would have created a false sense of where the Red Wings actually stand.

Conversely, not landing them isn't going to break the Red Wings.

This is still not a bad hockey team, and it remains a great organization.

If there is one team in this town that has earned trust, it's the Red Wings.

Reports of their demise just because they didn't sign Zach Parise and/or Ryan Suter have been greatly exaggerated.